Daddy Loves You
by LaughingLadybug
Summary: My idea of what the first few years of Emma's life would've been like if James came with her through the wardrobe and raised her. This story was inspired by Safe and Sound by la lisboa.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Once Upon a Time and this story was inspired by Safe and Sound by la lisboa who was kind enough to give me her permission to post this story :) **** Thanks! Hope you guys enjoy it!**

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Moments after Emma's birth the blue fairy appeared, "My King, I have recently learned that wardrobe can carry two. You must hurry though, while its magic is strong." Then she was gone just as quickly as she came, fading away in a faint blue light.

Snow looked at James, her eyes held a pleading yet hopeful light. "James, you and Emma, go to the wardrobe, go to safety, get yourselves out of here. Protect our baby girl from harm."

"No, no, I won't leave. We are together now and we'll stay that way. Never mind the curse," he said as he held Snow and Emma closer to him.

"Please, Charming, please. I'm begging you please, please," she said, beginning to sob on the last part.

With a sad sigh he gave Snow a sad look and then a long kiss. He bundled Emma up tightly in her hand-made baby blanket, grabbed his sword, gave his wife one last longing look and headed out the door down the long hallway.

Along the way he ran into enemy guards, and never has he felt so terrified in his life. Not for himself, no not all, but for the small child, only a few minutes old, which lay sleeping peacefully in his arms. Then, his fear was replaced with a fiery determination to keep her safe, a kind of protective instinct that only a father could hold for his daughter. So he fought and fought the guards with his best effort, holding his child close to his chest in fear of dropping her.

Once he defeated the guards he ran as fast as he could to the nursery. Once there, he immediately went inside the wardrobe. Once inside, everything was silent. The wardrobe was slightly warm, not suffocating warm, more like a comfortable warm.

Emma began to stir from lack of movement in her father's arms and was beginning to feel hungry. In desperate attempt to keep her quiet, he rocked her in his arms, bouncing up and down slightly. Why wasn't the magic working? Was the Blue Fairy wrong? Soon Emma began to whimper and James panicked, especially since he could hear heavy footsteps coming. "Shhh, don't cry Emma, don't cry. Daddy loves you," he whispered.

The moment he whispered the words "Daddy loves you," the magic began to work. In a bright flash they were no longer in the wardrobe but outside what looked like a road full of strange looking machines. They moved by quickly, much quicker than a horse and carriage. He was slightly curious, but more concerned about the crying baby in his arms.

After much difficulty, James made his way across the road and knocked on the door of what looked like an Inn. It then began to rain and James tucked Emma inside his newly acquired leather jacket, trying to keep her warm. "Come on Emma, let's get you out of the rain."

With that being said, James knocked on the door again. When someone answered, he explained his situation, by saying he was now a single father with a newborn baby and nowhere to go. Who assumed to be the Inn taker , took pity upon the small and broken family by allowing them to stay until he got "back on his feet." After she helped him make a few bottles and set up a place for Emma to sleep, she left and James fell asleep on the bed with his new, strange looking, clothes on


	2. Chapter 2

Emma cried throughout the night and for that James was grateful, for he could not bear to close his eyes and see the pain in his wife's eyes. However, Emma was barely even a day old and needed her sleep. "Shush, baby, shush. Daddy's here, I'll keep you safe." It sounded more like a statement than a promise…maybe it was because to him, it was obvious. He'd always love and take care of his baby girl, because that's part of what parents do.

Emma continued to cry in James' arms as he rocked her back and forth. She wasn't wet, and wasn't hungry since she rejected the bottle he tried to give her, she wasn't sick, and he hasn't over fed her so a tummy ache couldn't be it. _Nightmare, maybe, _James wondered as he tried to calm Emma down.

After a few minutes of contemplation, James set Emma down, lit a candle sitting on the nearby bedside table and started to rock Emma as he softly talked to her. "It's okay now, sweetie. See that candle; it'll keep the bad dreams away. I promise, your Grandma said it so it must be true." He stopped talking for a minute and rocked for a little bit. This caused her to cry; apparently she liked the sound of her daddy's voice. "You'd be the apple of your Grandma's eye. Oh and you'd be your Mommy's little angel too. The two of them would spoil you rotten and you'd know what I'd do? I'd help them spoil you."

James looked at the makeshift crib and sighed, he was grateful that the two of them had somewhere safe and warm to go, but it paled in comparison to their old home, their _real _home.

"Too bad you didn't get to see your room Emma. It had everything a little girl could want. There were teddy bears, a rocking horse, and so much more. You had the most beautiful crib in all the land. It was hand carved by Gepetto himself and there was a mobile of small unicorns of blue and clear glass. Whenever the wind passed through the room you could hear it tinkling. When I brought it home for your Mommy to see as a surprise, she _loved _it, almost as much as she loves you. The walls were a beautiful shade of light blue and the woodwork around the ceiling and along the floor were white. You mother thought it was too boyish but I reminded her how 'girlie' she was and that settled it."

He was about to continue but quickly realized that his baby girl was asleep, and he didn't want to move. He finally had what he wanted, a healthy and happy baby sleeping soundly in his arms. He sat in the rocking chair and gently rocked her back and forth, his eyes raked over the small infant in his arms, something he didn't have time for earlier. She had his hair, ears, and Snow's chin, nose, and eye shape, so he could only assume that she'd have her eyes and smile. "Pure perfection," he mumbled as he smiled down sleepily at Emma. This moment was what he would imagine it would feel like only five times better, the only one missing was his wife, his beautiful and perfect Snow White. "Thank you Snow, thank you so much," he mumbled to the silence as if she was there, and he could almost hear her laughing and telling him that he's welcome.

Slowly, James rose up from his spot and laid Emma back down in the bassinet, "Good night baby girl, daddy loves you." With that being said, he kissed her head and went back to sleep, with tears running down his gruff face.


	3. Chapter 3

For the next two years James worked at the Inn, trying to make a living. Everyday he'd wake up early and do maintenance around the, fixing leaky faucets, clogged drains, broken heaters and air conditioners, and everything else that broke. Though it was a learning process, and he had to have constant help during the first half of the year of his employment. But now, now he was what they called "a pro" at his job, whatever that meant.

He worked every day, sun up to sun down, just to make a life for him and his daughter. Luckily the Inn keeper's daughter, Beth, was kind enough to watch Emma while he worked. Everyday he'd come home to their modest living quarters and see Emma playing in her play pen and Beth reading a book while sitting on the couch. And as soon as Beth left, he spent time with his little Emma.

But now Emma was getting bigger and their small "apartment" was just too small. Besides, he wanted her to be able to go play in a backyard on a swing set or sit on the front porch and read a book, or watch the sun set. Not to watch the world go by through a window and be bumping into her father every time she turned a corner. That's precisely why James loaded Emma into the car he had purchased within the last two years, packed everything they own into the trunk, and drove away, another skill he had acquired over the last two years.

Giving Emma's car seat one last check, he started to drive. "So Emma, do you want to hear a story?"

"Yes," she chirped from her seat.

"Which one, honey, I know millions."

"One 'bout the red girl, Da-da," Emma chirped happily.

James sighed and shook his head. He had to of told Emma Red's story over a thousand of times. "Alright princess," he said, smiling at her through the rear-view mirror. "Once upon a time…," he started. James always told her the "softer" version of Red's story. The one about her running into a wolf on her way to her grandma's house and the wood chopper killed the wolf with his axe. The rougher version, the _truth, _would be much too much for the little girl to handle. Maybe when she was older he'd tell her about Red turning into the wolf and killing all those people, even though she had no control over herself. But for now he'd tell her the softer, inaccurate version of Red's story. "The end," he said grandly once the story.

Emma yawned and stretched her little arms and little legs in her car seat. "Da-da, I s'eepy," she mumbled tiredly.

"I can tell, princess," James said softly. "Just close your eyes, why don't you just close your eyes and rest."

"When we be at new home," Emma mumbled as she put her thumb in her mouth. It was barely understandable, but somehow he did understand.

"Soon, baby, soon," James said softly, "just go to sleep."

"Night-night Da-da," she sighed before dozing off.

"Night-night Emma," James said as he continued driving "Daddy loves you." Hours later he ended up driving all the way to a small town in Maine. Storybrooke.

As he drove into town he couldn't help but chuckled and think, _Storybrooke…what an odd name. _He looked back at the sleeping two year old in the back seat, remembering all the bed time stories….and his former life…then mentally added, _I think we'll like it here._


	4. Chapter 4

He saw her. The love of his life, his beautiful wife, Snow White. "I said what your name is," she repeated, her lovely green eyes kind and curious.

"James. James Swan," he said. That was his name back I the old world ad he was too stubborn to change it. Plus…what a lovely name it would make for his little Emma. Emma Swan, it sounded like music to his ears.

"James Swan," she repeated as if she had just heard of a new activity that someone suggested to her. "I like it."

James just grined his thanks and asked, "What's your name?" He truly wondered what alias Regina had given his beloved in this world. Probably something ugly like Gertrude or Irene.

"Mary-Margret Blanchard," she replied. Mary-Margret was nice, sort of. But Blanchard, really? Ugh, how bland. But it did match the new her, she kept herself covered in plain bland colors. And what happened to her long and curly fairytale locks? She also seemed shyer now, as if she is trying to hide herself from the world by making herself un-noticeable. He knew this was the work of the curse, and James was still in love with the woman underneath it all. The woman he had fought so hard for. The woman who had won his heart the day they had fought the trolls on the troll bridge. His beautiful, confident, strong willed, playful, and sweet Snow White.

"It's a nice name, but a very long name for a little woman," he said playfully, "would you mind if I called you Mary for short?"

"Not at all," she said blushing slightly, oh gosh why did he have to be so…so…so…_charming_. He fought back a smirk, oh how he loved to make this woman smirk. Her blush deepened, desperate to change the topic, Mary Margret focused on the child in his arms who was now awakening. "And who's this," she cooed at the blonde haired little girl with bright green eyes.

"Emma," he replied. "Emma can you say hi," he cooed at the little girl, she just waved timidly.

"Hi Emma," she said sweetly to the child, "my, what a pretty little girl you are."

"Tank you," she said sleepily. James chuckled and rubbed her small back, she then returned to resting her head on her father's shoulder in the familiar curve of her father's neck.

"I'll let you go so you can get you munchkin home, bye James, bye-bye Emma."

"Bye-bye," the little girl waved with her chubby toddler hands. James just waved goodbye, with somewhat sad eyes.

The next few hours was spent unpacking. He first unpacked Emma's room, then his, then the bathroom and so on and so forth. Then it was time for bed, he tucked Emma in and noticed something he had never seen before in his beloved daughter; utter sadness. She had tears brimming in her eyes and looked more than lost. "Want home," she whimpered.

"Baby we are home," he said as he took her in his arms.

"Want home," she wailed into his neck and then James took his little girl into the living room where they had already set up the recliner and turned on the radio to a soft and slow song.

"Now, sweetie," he started. "We are home because we're together. And you know what? Now we get to meet new people and try new things and see new things. As long as we're and we're happy we'll be okay. And I promise we'll be okay because Daddy loves you, no matter where we are," he whispered. With that he kissed her head and rocked her to sleep until they both fell asleep in the recliner.


End file.
